Chevrolet Camaro SS laps the 'Ring in... 8:20
Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2010 Chevy Camaro.
In this automotive day and age, any vehicle that has even a trace amount of performance in its DNA has to make the rounds around the Nurburgring. The new Chevy Camaro SS isn't exempt. So after GM revealed the Camaro on Monday, one of the scribes at InsideLine ran up to an engineer to find out what kind of time the Camaro put down at the Nordschleife. According to Doug Houlihan, GM's chief engineer for global rear-wheel-drive vehicles, the Camaro SS ran the 'Ring in 8:20.
To put that into perspective, the recently released 2008 Cobalt SS did the deed in 8:22, along with the BMW E46 M3 and the last generation BMW M Coupe, followed by the Lotus Exige S and Porsche Cayman S at 8:25.
Ed Welburn, GM'S veep of global design, concedes that the Camaro's shape is merely adequate from an aerodynamic standpoint, with a coefficient of drag on the SS of 0.35 and on the LS/LT models of 0.36 – largely a result of the recessed headlamps and full-width grille.
Houlihan went on to say that their time at the 'Ring allowed them to dial in the steering response and suspension settings, and that the StabiliTrak traction control system on the Camaro will be the best GM can offer. Settings on the SS model allow drivers to choose between track and performance modes, along with completely disabling the system. A launch control feature will also be available on the SS.
The only question now is: where's the video?
Gallery: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
[Source: InsideLine]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
Kumail 5:35PM (7/22/2008)
wow, not exactly gtr category lol. i wonder how it's competitor's did...
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BlackCanary 5:39PM (7/22/2008)
"To put that into perspective, the recently released 2008 Cobalt SS did the deed in 8:22, along with the BMW E46 M3 and the last generation BMW M Coupe, followed by the Lotus Exige S and Porsche Cayman S at 8:25."
Not the competition for the Camaro but still some nice company to have!
CORVETTE ZR1 5:43PM (7/22/2008)
Can This Day Get any Better ? Camaro Lotus. and now a 8:22 ring time for the Camaro SS ( Manual ) Awesome !!!
@ Kumail
I Also would like to see whats it's Competitors Did... im sure the Camaro Beat them but.. it would be cool to know... ( Challenger Rustang 350Z )
CarbonBlack 9:17PM (7/22/2008)
Here are some numbers from my Homies at Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordschleife_fastest_lap_times
RJ 9:19PM (7/22/2008)
I think all this recent discussion of Ring times in the last year or two has got everyone a little biased.
When I heard 8:20, the first thought is that's DEAD SLOW. But then on second thought, 8:20 is actually QUITE fast for the Ring.
This is up there with the E39 M5, E46 M3, STi, C5 Corvette, non of which are "slow" cars.
I bet the previous gen Camaro and Mustang would be lucky to even dip below 9 minutes. Hell, the brakes are most cars won't even hold up to ONE lap on the Ring!
Russell 9:50PM (7/22/2008)
This time is even more amazing if they did it on those skinny a$$ tires that are in the pics.
eds g 10:58PM (7/22/2008)
hrm... just goes to show how much value you get out of your Subaru STi or Lancer Evo X cuz these cars are by far much cheaper than the rest in that lap range.
got myself the wrx cuz didnt have the dough to get me the STi... how sad... wont be hittin the track though so i wont really be complainin =P
G-Meister 8:13AM (7/23/2008)
eds g- 'cept for the cobalt, eh? The fact the a cheap, crappy, inferior car with a torsion rear axle can lay down an 8:22 time is just awesome.
Crackberry Addict 12:51PM (7/23/2008)
Poor eds g got screwed on his WRX if he got a 2008 model
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/07/18/2009-subaru-impreza-wrx-gets-upgraded-to-265-hp/
s13hybrid 5:36PM (7/22/2008)
Nothing to be super excited about, but this car probably wasn't made for the twisties anyways.
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BlackCanary 5:47PM (7/22/2008)
Yes but a Lotus IS built for twisties and it had was bested by the Camaro.
Johnny 6:10PM (7/22/2008)
Black Canary the reason the Camaro was 0.02 seconds faster than Lotus Exige is that the Lotus has a 1.8 liter 190hp engine. I bet the Lotus doesnt even shift gears and is constantly traveling at one speed and one rpm throughout the ring. In the straightaways it has no power and in the twisties it doesnt need to decelerate.
If you want to compare the Camaro look at the fact that it is the SLOWEST 422hp car ever on the ring. That tells you how bad it corners but the engine makes it up a bit when it goes straight.
BlackCanary 6:10PM (7/22/2008)
John - Is that what the losing cars in F1 tell the cars that finished ahead of them?
Seoultrain 6:16PM (7/22/2008)
I'd love to see the race between the Camaro SS and the Elise. The Elise would kill the Camaro on the entire track (okay, it might get close around Kesselchen, the back straight), then at the front straight, the Camaro would gain on the Elise at a remarkable speed and cross the finish line 2 seconds before the Elise. Watching these two cars that are so different in character lapping a 17 mile course in identical times would be incredibly entertaining.
eb110americana 6:58PM (7/22/2008)
You guys don't know what you're talking about. The Lotus Exige S model that was bested by the Camaro SS has a supercharger and 240 hp in a lightweight purpose-build-for-the-track chassis. It goes 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, which is almost certainly faster than the Camaro:
http://www.fastestlaps.com/car4838184d82382.html
The Exige also tops out at 151.9mph, so it's unlikely the Camaro would even gain much advantage on the longest of straights either.
Face it, the suspension can handle if it is anywhere near as fast around a track as something with those specs, let alone faster than it by 3 seconds while hauling nearly twice the weight and offering twice the seats.
tankd0g 11:03PM (7/22/2008)
It's as fast as I'd want to go in an "American Muscle Car" lol
Chase 5:37PM (7/22/2008)
Nothing to scoff at there. As far as specs go, the M3 is a reasonable car to compare it to. Its interesting that it met the mark.
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BigMcLargeHuge 5:52PM (7/22/2008)
Thats the old M3, FYI.
New M3 did like an 8:05.
Smeagle 10:36PM (7/22/2008)
Yeah the camaro was closer in time to the 335i which is again, not a bad car to compare it to. I dont like the camaro but thats not a bad time for what it is.
Astropods 5:37PM (7/22/2008)
Didn't they say it was now a sports car and not so much a muscle car? Not looking like either right now unfortunately...
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